Teabags! Post-it notes! What would we do?

When we think of great inventions we assume it takes years of trial and error, hours of experimentations, tweaks and retests. And for the most part we would be right. After all it took Thomas Edison over 10,000 attempts to finally nail the light bulb.

Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire is the headline name that remains in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

The Grade 2 Istabraq Hurdle was the feature event on yesterday’s high-class mixed programme at Tipperary, and Plinth, carrying the colours of the eponymous three-time Champion Hurdler, and also trained by Aidan O’Brien, caused a minor upset when landing the spoils.

At Gowran Park this afternoon Weather Watch can show the benefit of recent experience and a step up in trip by taking the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle.

With the help of AI, the world’s most famous doll tries to fulfill a timeless dream — convincing little girls that she’s a real friend. What will happen if they believe her? James Vlahossept reports

Tony Martin’s ability to effectively target a feature handicap scaled new heights yesterday afternoon as the Meath trainer again landed Ireland’s richest National Hunt race, the Guinness Galway Hurdle, with Quick Jack, and would almost certainly have had three of the first four home had last year’s winner, Thomas Edison, not taken a tumble at the final flight.

Today’s Galway Hurdle is an absolutely cracking race.

Miracle jockey Brian Toomey is set to be in action at next week’s Galway Festival after trainer Phil Kirby confirmed Kings Grey an intended runner at Ballybrit.

Spinamiss should open her account in the Irish Stallion Farms Median Auction 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden in Limerick tonight.

We’ve never been closer to the past. The continuing proliferation of online searchable material is making available to us all an ocean of information and artefacts from our past. 

 

Tony McCoy signed off his career in Ireland with two unplaced rides at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Ellie O’Byrne checks out our attitude to modern manners and talks to the experts about how etiquette is not dying out with new technology — but is simply just evolving with it.

How The Library (Not The Prince) Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour and Rebecca Ashdown (Frances Lincoln; €15.10 HB). 

Billed as Brazil’s first player-powered football pitch, a field in a Rio de Janeiro slum harnesses the kinetic energy of players’ movements to provide night-time illumination.

IT is a singular moment. A man taking a bath notices how the water surges over the side as he sits in. He runs through the streets naked shouting Eureka. I have found it.

Tony Martin’s fantastic Galway Festival continued as talented apprentice Sean Corby conjured a late run out of Artful Artist to land the Guinness Handicap.

J P McManus enjoyed his first success in the Guinness Galway Hurdle when the Tony Martin-trained Thomas Edison stormed away with the fiercely competitive - at least in theory - major handicap at Ballybrit yesterday.

It arrived in a blaze of hats, heels, and alcohol, the day women love and men love to hate — it can only be Ladies Day in Galway.

JP McManus claimed another significant landmark in an esteemed racing career when Thomas Edison gave the powerful owner a first victory in the Guinness Galway Hurdle.

Ante-post favourite Thomas Edison heads owner JP McManus’ assault on the Guinness Galway Hurdle at the Ballybrit track on Thursday.

Thomas Edison is likely to spearhead Tony Martin’s team for next week’s Galway Festival in the Guinness Galway Hurdle.

The JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury is a potential next port of call for Sruthan after he made a winning return to action in the Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes at the Curragh.

The past pupils of two Cork schools are joining forces to honour one of the country’s greatest education innovators.

Kanye West stormed off the stage at his gig in Florida.

Sabrina Harty is considering giving Kalann his first run back over jumps since he returned from a long lay-off in Sunday’s stanjames.com Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Promising newcomer Long Dog and Stephen Hero provided trainer Andy Oliver with a 90/1 double in Sligo last night.

Madam Mo, who has been knocking on the door since early in the season, can finally push it open in the Kilcawley Construction Maiden at Sligo tonight.

Conditions at Ascot are certain to be testing for the two-day fixture culminating in Saturday’s card featuring the Long Walk Hurdle and The Ladbroke.

Tasitiocht can continue Willie Mullins’ terrific run in the Saltees Island Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Wexford this afternoon.

The highly-regarded Back In Focus takes to fences for the first time under Rules in the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase at Listowel on Thursday.

The once-raced Lord Of Isenay can land the nap in the Follow Sligo On Facebook Maiden Hurdle at the western track tonight.

On the 125th anniversary of the invention of Esperanto, Jonathan deBurca Butler wonders at our ability to invent useless things

Michael Hourigan’s Run With The Wind proved far too good for a bitterly disappointing Thomas Edison in the Dawn Omega Milk Novice Hurdle at a packed Killarney yesterday.

THE classy Thomas Edison should prove hard to beat in the Dawn Omega Milk Novice Hurdle at Killarney this afternoon.

The most interesting horse on show in Ireland this weekend has to be the Tony Martin-trained Thomas Edison in the Buck Mooneys’ Maiden Hurdle at Bellewstown tonight.

DERMOT WELD, fresh from saddling Princess Highway to record a brilliant success in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot on Thursday, turns his attentions to much lesser pickings with Quick Glimpse in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden at Down Royal this afternoon and the three-year-old is the nap choice.

Definite Class, a decent money-spinner over hurdles and fences, can enjoy a first success on the flat in the 1912-2012 Centenary Ladies Maiden at Tramore this afternoon.

This weekend is all about the return of Hurricane Fly, who will attempt to tighten his grip on the Champion Hurdle market in the BHP Insurance-sponsored Irish version at Leopardstown tomorrow.

PAUL NICHOLLS throws Al Ferof in at the deep end in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot today, but I think it is the right decision.

IPSOS Du Berlais can land the nap in the Noel Farrelly Memorial Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon, should the meeting survive a precautionary 8am inspection due to the threat of frost.

WILLIE MULLINS set the opening stage of Leopardstown alight yesterday with a fine double, including Blackstairmountain in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase.